Talking
by cowbell2011
Summary: An extension of the scene in 8.2 where Ruth tells Harry they need to talk. One shot. HR.


**A/N: This is an extension of the scene in 8.2, where Ruth meets Harry to talk and clear the air. What I think should have been said. Hope you like...**

* * *

><p>He waited on the bridge, heart hammering in his chest. Nerves had overtaken him when she had phoned to say she wanted to meet. He was sure she was going to tell him she wanted nothing more to do with him. When he turned and saw her approaching his heart stopped momentarily and he had to look away. In that fraction of a second he went through every emotion possible. Trying to pull himself together, he turned to face her again.<p>

'We need to talk.'

Relief flooded through him when she didn't immediately tell him to leave her alone and he allowed himself a small smile.

'I'm glad you said that.'

Ruth took a breath before speaking. Her nerves were playing havoc with her brain and she struggled to put into words how she was feeling. It didn't help that seeing Harry again after so long brought back all her feelings of love, and she felt immensely guilty that she was even contemplating those sorts of feelings so soon after George's death.

'I'm sorry. I blamed you for what happened. It wasn't fair.'

Harry understood how hard it must have been for Ruth to say those words to him. The grief was still so raw for her and he wasn't entirely sure she meant them, but he accepted them anyway and offered up his own apology.

'I'm sorry too Ruth. I'm sorry for everything. Really. Truly sorry.'

Ruth met Harry's eyes for a moment but had to look away as the emotion she found there was simply too much for her to cope with at the moment. She stiffened when she felt his hand come to rest gently on her arm, but forced herself to relax when she noticed the the crestfallen look on his face caused by her involuntary reaction. His voice sounded like it would break at any moment when he spoke.

'Shall we...?'

* * *

><p>They sat in the coffee shop, both nursing their mugs to warm their hands after coming in from the bitter cold outside. Neither said a word for a long while, not knowing how to start the conversation. Eventually Ruth looked up to meet Harry's eye, but he seemed intent on staring into his coffee, as if he would somehow find the solution to all their problems in there.<p>

'I...want to come back to work.'

Upon hearing that, Harry looked up sharply, the shock evident on his face. He studied Ruth for a moment to make sure she wasn't playing some cruel joke on him, before chastising himself for thinking such a thing. Ruth didn't have a cruel bone in her body.

'Of course. I'll make the arrangements.'

Harry looked straight back down into his cup of coffee, unwilling to meet Ruth's eye for fear of what he might see there. He knew his actions had led to George's death, and he knew his willingness to sacrifice Nico had destroyed any hope he would ever have of a relationship with Ruth, and that knowledge made it all the more difficult for him to look her in the eye. Before she left for Cyprus, she had always had a twinkle in her eye, a warmness she seemed to save just for him. Now, her eyes were cold and empty, as if there was nothing left inside them, and that broke his heart. He looked up once more as she began to speak.

'Harry...if I come back to work, I don't want things to be awkward between us. I...I forgive you for what happened.'

To say Ruth was surprised when she noticed a solitary tear making its way down Harry's cheek would be an understatement. She reached over and, against her better judgement, took his hand in her own, squeezing gently to urge him to speak.

'How can you forgive me Ruth, when I can never forgive myself? All I can think about is, if things had gone differently, that could have been _our_ child in danger, and what would I have done then? I don't think I even want to know the answer.'

Harry reached up with his free hand and roughly wiped his tear away, not wanting to seem weak in front of Ruth. He allowed her one more squeeze of his hand before pulling back, her touch too painful at that moment. Finally, he looked up to see her gazing at him intently, though he was unable to read what she was thinking having not seen her for so long.

'Do you think we would have gotten that far if I hadn't left Harry? I think...'

Ruth took a deep breath to steady herself, knowing they were quickly veering into dangerous territory with the topic of discussion.

'...I think we would still be fumbling over the issue. Missed opportunities and things left unsaid. Perhaps that's how it'll always be for us.'

She drained the last of her coffee and stood up, putting on her coat and gloves. Harry stood with her and they walked to the door, stopping just outside when Harry realised it was time for them to go their separate ways.

'I'll see you on Monday then, yes? I'll clear everything with the Home Secretary.'

Ruth nodded, giving Harry's arm a reassuring squeeze. She watched as he turned to leave, and before she knew it, the words she had been thinking were out of her mouth.

'Oh and Harry? I know if we had a child, you would never let any harm come to it.'

Horrified that she had voiced her innermost thoughts, Ruth turned quickly and left, leaving Harry staring after her open mouthed.


End file.
